Last August, I had the pleasure of acquiring a Kubota M8200 which I intended to put to work on our 80-acre farm here in Oklahoma. To complement this new addition, I also invested in a 12ft Bushwacker MD144.
The remainder of last summer was dedicated to a thorough "TLC" maintenance regimen, preparing the tractor for its inaugural fall brush-hogging. The effort paid off handsomely; it took me 10 hours to cut all 80 acres, and the tractor performed flawlessly throughout.
As winter set in, my focus shifted to ensuring the operator's comfort, specifically optimizing the air conditioning system for the demanding Oklahoma heat. I installed reflective bubble insulation in the roof, thoroughly cleaned the coils and filters, applied window tint, and added a heater core shut-off valve along with a pusher fan in front of the condenser. The results were evident during the first spring mow as the AC system performed exceptionally, keeping the cab comfortably cool.
My only persistent concern has been a consistent smoke emission at idle. Given that the tractor starts, idles, and runs otherwise perfectly, my initial suspicion fell on the turbocharger. Upon inspection, the compressor wheel shaft exhibited some vertical play. This discovery prompted the removal of the turbo. I captured a video of the damaged center section, which you can view here: https://youtube.com/shorts/mL9O4TAfNTU?feature=shar.
With the turbo off, I took the opportunity to pull the exhaust manifold and replace all the exhaust bolts and studs. To prevent future rust, I media blasted and painted all components.
While awaiting parts, I also tackled the valve adjustment. This is a task I highly recommend to anyone who hasn't checked their valves, especially on a tractor with significant hours. At 2,500 hours, I found most of mine were loose.
I'm pleased to report that everything is now reassembled and back on the tractor. I've spent the past few days running it to cure the new paint, and so far, it's running exceptionally well!
The remainder of last summer was dedicated to a thorough "TLC" maintenance regimen, preparing the tractor for its inaugural fall brush-hogging. The effort paid off handsomely; it took me 10 hours to cut all 80 acres, and the tractor performed flawlessly throughout.
As winter set in, my focus shifted to ensuring the operator's comfort, specifically optimizing the air conditioning system for the demanding Oklahoma heat. I installed reflective bubble insulation in the roof, thoroughly cleaned the coils and filters, applied window tint, and added a heater core shut-off valve along with a pusher fan in front of the condenser. The results were evident during the first spring mow as the AC system performed exceptionally, keeping the cab comfortably cool.
My only persistent concern has been a consistent smoke emission at idle. Given that the tractor starts, idles, and runs otherwise perfectly, my initial suspicion fell on the turbocharger. Upon inspection, the compressor wheel shaft exhibited some vertical play. This discovery prompted the removal of the turbo. I captured a video of the damaged center section, which you can view here: https://youtube.com/shorts/mL9O4TAfNTU?feature=shar.
With the turbo off, I took the opportunity to pull the exhaust manifold and replace all the exhaust bolts and studs. To prevent future rust, I media blasted and painted all components.
While awaiting parts, I also tackled the valve adjustment. This is a task I highly recommend to anyone who hasn't checked their valves, especially on a tractor with significant hours. At 2,500 hours, I found most of mine were loose.
I'm pleased to report that everything is now reassembled and back on the tractor. I've spent the past few days running it to cure the new paint, and so far, it's running exceptionally well!
